En V.O. (10): Selección de novedades de fantasía épica. Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Erin Hoffman, Bradley P. Beaulieu, Nathan Long

Para este mes de abril tenemos nuevos lanzamientos de fantasía épica en versión original. Esta entrada no pretende ser una selección exaustiva, sino una breve selección que puede interesar a los lectores habituales. Comenzamos por Rage of the Dragon, tercera entrega de la última saga de fantasía épica escrita a dúo por Margaret Weis y Tracy Hickman, los prolíficos autores de las trilogías principales de "Dragonlance". Su Dragonships of Vindras, aunque inédita en castellano, continúa la historia allá donde lo dejaron Bones of the Dragon y Secret of the Dragon, construcción de mundos a gran escala como le gusta hacer a la pareja, pero ambientado en una suerte de trasfondo nórdico en el que no faltan los dragones.

Por otro lado, llega la segunda entrega de The Chaos Knight con Lance of Earth and Sky (tras Sword of Fire and Sea) una saga de fantasía escrita por Erin Hoffman plagada de acción, aventuras y mucha magia. High fantasy en toda regla, podemos decir.

También tenemos disponible la segunda entrega de The Lays of Anuskaya, una saga de Bradley P. Beaulieu que comenzó el año pasado con The Winds of Khalakovo, y que continúa con The Straits of Galahesh.

Por último, la última novela de Nathan Long, un destacado autor de la franquicia "Warhammer", publica con Night Shade Books Jane Carver Waar, una suerte de John Carter pero con protagonista femenina, quien huyendo de la ley se introduce en una cueva que la teletransporta hasta un exótico mundo poblado por piratas, gladiadores, hombres-tigre, topándose por el camino con un príncipe a la caza de una atractiva princesa.

Estas son las novedades:

Rage of the Dragon, de Margaret Weis y Tracy Hickman. Tor Books, edición en tapa dura con sobrecubierta, 368 páginas, 25,99 dólares. A la venta el 24 de abril. Género: Fantasía épica. Serie: Dragonships of Vindras/3.

Sinopsis:

The action-packed third book in the Dragonships series from New York Times bestselling authors Weis and Hickman

Skylan Ivorson is the Chief of Chiefs of all Vindras clans. But the gods from whom the Vindrasi draw their earth-dwelling power are besieged by a new generation of gods who are challenging them for the powers of “creation." The only way to stop these brash interlopers lies within the Five Bones of the Vektan Dragons – the five primal dragons forged during the creation of the world – whose whereabouts are a mystery even to the gods.

With the Gods of the New Dawn amassing a vast army, Skylan finds allies in former enemies. Calling upon the ogres to fight their common enemies, the Vindrasi soon find themselves in the middle of an an even larger war. Skylan and his Vindrasi clan must sail the Sea of Tears into the heart of the Forbidden Empire of the Cyclops, instigating a cunning, yet delicate plan that risks his life and leadership at every corner. But a new enemy lies deep in the sea, one who draws upon powers never harnessed by the land dwellers.

Master worldbuilders Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, who have entertained generations of fans with the Dragonlance series and the Death Gate Cycle, prove they're on the top of their game.

Lance of Earth and Sky, de Erin Hoffman. Pyr Books, edición en rústica, 319 páginas, 17,95 dólares. A la venta el 24 de abril. Género: Fantasía épica. Serie: The Chaos Knight/2.

Sinopsis:

In the sequel to Sword of Fire and Sea, Vidarian Rulorat faces the consequences of opening the gate between worlds. elemental magic is awakening across the planet after centuries of dormancy, bringing with it magically-powered wonders including flying ships and ancient automata; empires leap into war over long disputed territory as their technologies shift; the spirit of his oldest friend, Ruby—killed in the immediate aftermath of the gate’s opening—is trapped inside one of the gems used to open the gate; and Ariadel, his one great love, isn’t speaking to him. Called into service by the desperate young emperor of Alorea, Vidarian must lead sky ships in a war against the neighboring southern empire, train the demoralized imperial Sky Knights to ride beasts that now shapeshift, master his own amplified elemental magic, and win back Ariadel—all without losing his mind.

Compounding his task is a political minefield laid by the Alorean Import Company, which may or may not be fomenting war across the planet, and a shapeshifter that bonds to Vidarian during his early attempts to subdue the rogue bird-like seridi—a wolf pup that will prove to be the fabled bridge between sky and earth magics, an electricity elemental that takes the shape of a dragon upon maturity: the lance of earth and sky.

The Straits of Galahesh, de Bradley P. Beaulieu. Night Shade Books, edición en rústica, 570 páginas, 14,99 dólares. Género: Fantasía épica. Serie: The Lays of Anuskaya/2.

Podéis ver la portada original en De Cubiertas Extranjeras (I).

Sinopsis:

West of the Grand Duchy of Anuskaya lies the Empire of Yrstanla, the Motherland. The Empire has lived at peace with Anuskaya for generations, but with political turmoil brewing and the wasting disease still rampant, opportunists from the mainland have begun to set their sights on the Grand Duchy, seeking to expand their empire.

Five years have passed since Prince Nikandr, heir to the scepter of Khalakovo, was tasked with finding Nasim, the child prodigy behind a deadly summoning that led to a grand clash between the armies of man and elder elemental spirits. Today, that boy has grown into a young man driven to understand his past--and the darkness from which Nikandr awakened him. Nikandr's lover, Atiana, has become a Matra, casting her spirit forth to explore, influence, and protect the Grand Duchy. But when the Al-Aqim, long thought lost to the past, return to the islands and threaten to bring about indaraqiram--a change that means certain destruction for both the Landed and the Landless--bitter enemies must become allies and stand against their horrific plans.


Can the Grand Duchy be saved? The answer lies hidden within the Straits of Galahesh...

From Bradley P. Beaulieu, author of the critically acclaimed debut novel The Winds of Khalakovo, comes Book Two of The Lays of Anuskaya, The Straits of Galahesh.

Jane Carver of Waar, de Nathan Long. Night Shade Books, edición en rústica, 320 páginas, 14,99 dólares. Género: Fantasía épica, space opera. Serie: Jane Carver Waar/1.

Sinopsis:

Jane Carver is nobody's idea of a space princess.

A hard-ridin', hard-lovin' biker chick and ex-Airborne Ranger, Jane is as surprised as anyone else when, on the run from the law, she ducks into the wrong cave at the wrong time-and wakes up butt-naked on an exotic alien planet light-years away from everything she's ever known.

Waar is a savage world of four-armed tiger-men, sky-pirates, slaves, gladiators, and purple-skinned warriors in thrall to a bloodthirsty code of honor and chivalry. Caught up in a disgraced nobleman's quest to win back the hand of a sexy alien princess, Jane encounters bizarre wonders and dangers unlike anything she ever ran into back home.

Then again, Waar has never seen anyone like Jane before . . . .

Both a loving tribute and scathing parody of the swashbuckling space fantasies of yore, Jane Carver of Waar introduces an unforgettable new science fiction heroine.

por Loren Sparrow abril 11, 2012